It was one of the most beautiful days out last Saturday, so I knew there would be tons of sales. Since both Jenny and I are trying to get ready to have a yard sale next week, I planned (in my mind) to only go out for 3 hours and to only stay in our neighborhood.

I didn’t notice that I didn’t have my camera with me until I went to what I can only describe as a “bachelor pad sale,” in a good-sized house filled with nothing that I wanted to buy. It was an estate sale, and it was pretty clear that he lived alone. The house wasn’t exactly dirty, but more masculine than domestic. Up for sale were crappy albums, Playboy magazines, car and motor-cross magazines, really butt-ugly clothes, plastic glasses, tools, and some of the most nasty furniture known to man. This house would have been ripe for photos, but it was 9:00 am and I was about 40 blocks from home, so I wasn’t about to go back for the camera.

Most of the sales I went to were just sales, nothing to really talk about, nothing really great for sale — I went to three sales that only had baby stuff. I hate baby sales! I would call these three “hidden” sales, since I would have just done a drive-by, but the sale was either hidden on their back porch or behind a large fence or shrub. Fuckers.

I went to a sale and purchased 3 vintage ’50s era lampshades. I need to be honest here and say that this takes my lampshade collection up to 4 that don’t have lamps they go with. Since the shades are harder to find I used to buy them and pair them with lamps, but these days it’s hard to find “the good stuff,” so I haven’t seen anything that goes. The 2 smalls ended up being $5 and the large was $8. I also purchased a red Bakelite stirring spoon.

I didn’t really get to see too many freaks this weekend, but one of the last sales I went to was an estate sale on my street that started at 10:00. I really don’t go to them very often when they start, since I don’t like standing in line when I could be at other sales. The house was old and I was feeling that it could be worth it, so I got a number (eek! NUMBER 46) and got in line. I figured even if the sale was crappy it was in a huge house built around 1908 so that would be cool.

Everything inside was old, some of it much older than what I collect, and I think my mom would have loved some of the china and other items. I found a pretty orange brown honey comb Bauer bowl right away. It was pricey at $15, but with no chips I thought I would carry it around with me at the sale and then make up my mind.

The woman who’d lived there was a rock hound and the whole basement was filled with rocks, polished and not, tons of cigar boxes filled with rocks. I picked up two 40’s handbags, an early copy of Walt Disney’s “Thumper,” another wire-handled basket (I fear I’m getting a little TOO into those) … and the most odd thing I purchased: BOOZE! She had two unopened bottles of Amaretto and Creme De Cacao, both sealed, and both for $2. Alcohol doesn’t go bad does it? Anyone want to come over for Grass Hopper Cocktails?